"If it is an unnecessary 911 call, you've probably taken up and hour or two of the public's money that goes to this agency and also taken an officer out of the way who might've been needed somewhere else," said Mitch Haley, a spokesperson for Fort Myers police.

Once a call goes through dispatch in the city of Fort Myers, a patrol officer will respond.

"To try and curb 911 calls brings up the possibility of maybe one or two of those calls are real, and what happens if you do not respond to that one call, would you want those headlines?" asked Haley.

Police can't ignore calls they think might be phony, because they could be real. Florida Statute 365.172 gives officers power to arrest folks who are abusing the system.

We requested every arrest report in which the suspect violated that statute, dating back to January 2018.

Who were the biggest offenders?

1) John Pietromonico - North Fort Myers - called 31 times

2) Hien Thi Thach - Fort Myers - called 24 times

3) Jean Pharel Pierre - Fort Myers - called 21 times

If you misuse 911, your punishment varies but you could have to pay a $1,000 fine and face up to a year in jail.

What happens if you violate Florida Statute 365.172? It varies depending on the situation but usually, you're looking at a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail.